Drawn Together
by Cheza-chan
Summary: When a whole day is lost, buried deep in their memories, Kotetsu and Barnaby are forced even closer in their already-shaky partnership to try and remember what took place the night they celebrated Robin Baxter's capture. Will their unfortunate predicament make them better partners...?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Drawn Together – prologue  
**Author/Artist:** Cheza-chan  
**Characters:** Kotetsu x Barnaby  
**Rating:** M (for Mature *PS chime*)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters, and I definitely don't own the sponsors that they wear.

* * *

Kotetsu groaned after regaining consciousness, all too familiar with the signs of a hangover. He lifted his right arm, covering his face with the appendage. That current position was short-lived; he rolled over onto his stomach, blindly reaching for a pillow to bury his face in. What his fingers encountered made the blood in his veins run cold.

Kotetsu ghosted his fingers over the solid warmth and was rewarded with a smothered moan of protest and the rustling of bed sheets. He pushed himself up onto his knees, throbbing head be damned, and found himself staring down at the half-naked frame of Barnaby Brooks Jr.; half-naked, because the sheets covered his lower half.

Kotetsu dug his fingers into his bare thighs as he studied what covered the new Hero's upper half. Love bites—he'd counted a dozen so far. He opened his mouth, but his voice was obviously as lost as he was, and only a horrified squawk tumbled out. Kotetsu fumbled, twisting so he could reach behind himself. There was no aching pain in his lower back, but there was dried evidence between his thighs that told a tale of intimacy.

"I had sex with Bunny…?"_Now_ his voice decided to come back.

Kotetsu untangled himself from the sheets and climbed from the large bed. There was no pile of clothes, which meant Barnaby had obviously cleaned up before falling asleep. It took the veteran Hero a few minutes before finding the bathroom, where he allowed himself to indulge in a much-needed warm shower. His headache remained as a steady reminder, but so did the stinging in his shoulders. When Kotetsu emerged from the shower, he used the bathroom mirror and found that his back was covered in scratches. His lips started curling into a smile, but he shook his head, reminding himself that this was a dire situation.

Kotetsu muttered a quick apology before borrowing a white towel and wrapping it around his waist. He still couldn't find his clothes, which meant it was time for Barnaby to wake up.

Barnaby Brooks Jr was sitting upright, though not fully awake, when Kotetsu returned to the bedroom. His headache became a distant dull throb and he prepared himself for the worst when half-lidded green eyes attempted to focus on him. "Old man...?"

"I take offense to that, but who else would it be? _If_ you're referring to me…"

Barnaby combed his fingers through his unruly hair with a sigh. "I don't know. I can't remember anything... and I can't see anything without my glasses."

Kotetsu grinned lopsidedly and glanced around the room, searching for the eyewear. The owner found them first, and Barnaby's scowl slipped back into place the minute his glasses were back on his face. "Kotetsu. Why are you naked?"

"Showered. Why are you?" Kotetsu countered, one hand on his hip while he wagged the index finger of the other.

"I sleep naked."

"Interesting fact. Do you think you can remember what you did with my clothes?"

"Why would I have done something to your clothes?" Barnaby scoffed, tossing back the covers.

Kotetsu's eyes widened, but he quickly looked away, grinning sheepishly; the love bites went even lower. He took a seat on the bed after Barnaby vacated it, waiting for the other to catch on. Kotetsu knew he'd arrived in the bathroom when the shouting started.

Barnaby appeared in the doorway, cheeks flushed and eyes wide. "What..." He waved a hand up and down his naked frame. "...happened?!"

"Alcohol. I guess we celebrated too hard." Kotetsu crossed one leg over the other, the towel still keeping him modest. "You obviously enjoyed it. I'm sure I did as well. I hope we did."

"How can you take this so lightly?!"

"It's difficult with you standing there like that "

Barnaby opened his mouth, then snapped it shut, storming off. When he returned, he was dressed in a robe.

Kotetsu didn't like his on-again off-again headache, either. "Do you intend for us to sit here and have a heart to heart? Bunny, I'm scared. That's why I'm being so sarcastic. I can't remember what happened, and our already strained partnership will just sour even more. Let's just... pretend that whatever happened… didn't happen."

Barnaby carded his fingers through his hair, clutching and tugging at the strands before letting his hands fall back to his sides. "I can't pretend it didn't happen, but I'll never mention it again."

Kotetsu tilted his head back and smiled up at the ceiling. "Thank you. Where are my clothes?"

Barnaby smirked, disappearing from the open doorway.

**X X X**

Kotetsu tried to ignore the headache attempting to split his skull open, but it refused to go away. He'd already taken as many painkillers as possible without nearing the overdose level, but the pain would not fade. Panting, Kotetsu clawed at his pillow, trying not to resort to screaming. He heard a distant trilling, but paid it no mind. It ended and then started again. The trilling gave way to pounding, and Kotetsu wondered if his brain was finally escaping; he also thought he might have gone crazy.

Kotetsu was faintly aware of being shifted, but he had no idea he was being carried out of his apartment.

* * *

Kotetsu woke, not realizing he'd fallen asleep, feeling refreshed and free of pain. He rolled over, quickly pulling himself from the edge of the bed. The short distance told him he wasn't at home, and forced his eyes open to find out his current location. Sterile walls and sterile sheets meant he was in a hospital. Kotetsu sat up, his surprise obvious at finding the bed a few yards beside his occupied.

Barnaby glanced his way before returning to the tablet in his lap. "They don't know what's wrong with us. You passed out almost immediately after being checked in."

"Who came and got me?" Kotetsu questioned, adjusting himself properly so he sat with his back against the headboard.

"Rock Bison. I told him to check on you when my calls went unanswered."

"When do we get to leave?" Kotetsu sighed, absently scratching at his chest. Hospitals weren't his favorite place.

"Someone should be on their way since I alerted them of your waking."

Kotetsu grinned. "Such a diligent Bunny."

Barnaby rolled his eyes and returned to the tablet in his lap. He was researching potential ailments that could have caused a headache of such a high caliber. The doctors told him he was the picture of perfect health—as was Kotetsu—but he sure hadn't felt like it a few hours ago. He heard movement to his right, but ignored it in favor of a concussion article.

Kotetsu mumbled something and walked out, leaving the young man in silence. Several moments later, Barnaby dropped the tablet in favor of clutching his head with both hands. He doubled forward before falling onto his side and curling into a fetal position. '_What is wrong with me_...?' Barnaby exhaled sharply as the pain suddenly faded, and squinted through half-lidded eyes.

Kotetsu was leaning against the inner wall of the room, hands braced against his thighs in his slumped position.

_Why... is this happening_?

His head snapped up and he stared at the bed where the blond lay. "Bunny?"

"What?" Barnaby hissed through clenched teeth. He was reluctant to relax if it meant the pain would return.

"I don't know why this is happening," Kotetsu sighed, answering the previous question. He pushed away from the wall and took a few tentative steps forward. His body straightened to its full height with each step, and he made his way toward his deserted bed. Kotetsu fell face first into the sheets, getting a strong scent of disinfectant, before rolling onto his side and reaching for the "nurse" button.

The nurse brought him sleeping pills, which he accepted gratefully. There were several instances throughout the night where the sudden pain forced him to wake, but Kotetsu managed to get a decent amount of well-needed rest.

* * *

The other Heroes of Sternbild visited when they were both awake.

It took Origami Cyclone to figure out what the doctors couldn't. "You're joined... in some kind of bond," the timid blond stated, having listened to their stories of their time apart and time together; of their comings and goings, at the apartment and here in the hospital.

Kotetsu sputtered out a laugh while Barnaby scoffed. "That's… what happens in movies and anime," the brunet said, a nervous grin on his face. "We have nothing to bond over. We can't even become proper partners."

"That could be the reason why this happened." Ivan held out his hand to Kotetsu, shaking it when the veteran Hero refused to move. Kotetsu took the offered hand and was yanked to his feet and pushed out the door. Ivan stayed with him, supporting him when he teetered to one side from the sudden onslaught of nausea.

Dragon Kid poked her head out of the room. "He's in pain," she stated, speaking about either Kotetsu or Barnaby.

Ivan guided Kotetsu back to the room. The minute he reached the entrance, the pain receded and he sagged against the teen in relief. He looked inside and saw Keith assisting Barnaby back against the headboard of the bed.

Barnaby turned, meeting Kotetsu's eye. _How did this happen_...?

The blond's lips never moved, but he heard the question loud and clear. "How... did this happen?" Kotetsu whispered aloud.

* * *

**A/N:** *sobs into her hands* …why can't I stop? I have a list of things that interested me over at the t_and_b kink meme, and I'm slowly working through them. There was this nice one with Keith... *trails off* Anyway~ No prompt spoilers, just gonna~ hafta~ wait n' see! *pose* (I suck so hard at summaries...)


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Drawn Together – chapter one  
**Author/Artist:** Cheza-chan  
**Characters:** Kotetsu x Barnaby  
**Rating:** M (for Mature *PS chime*)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters, and I definitely don't own the sponsors that they wear.

* * *

The morning they woke up together, Kotetsu told Barnaby that his sarcasm was to hide his fear at not knowing what transpired that night. Now, he laughed—a bit manically—to cover this newfound fear. "You're not making any sense." He shook off Origami Cyclone's touch, backing up towards the open door again. "I feel fine. We're both in great condition—the doctors said so. Why... can't I leave?"

Kotetsu ducked around the corner once he'd stepped over the threshold, moving quickly down the hall. He wasn't certain how he'd gotten, but he was soon forced to his knees, fingers clutching at his hair in a futile attempt to ease the pain. Slowly, the pain began to recede. Before Kotetsu could feel relieved, the irrationally rational part of his brain reminded him that there was only one possible way for him to feel at ease. Dropping his hands, he pushed himself back onto his feet, swaying a bit as he turned around. Barnaby glared at him from a few feet away.

'_It's true_...' Kotetsu didn't have enough strength left to hide his fear. He _felt_ a sudden warmth in his chest, and his hand slowly rose to lay flat across the area. '_Bunny_...?'

Barnaby's eyes grew wider, by just a fraction. If Kotetsu's own gaze hadn't been locked onto the young man, he would've missed it. Barnaby's expression quickly closed off, becoming hard lines and dangerous edges. "Now that we've tested the theory ourselves and understand the problem, we need to work on solving it."

..._putting an end to it_.

Kotetsu shook his head, trying to rid himself of the scornful voice that wasn't his. Tapping into an unknown reservoir of adrenaline, he forced a grin onto his face, he marched forward until he was standing beside the other Hero; they both faced opposite directions. "Here's another problem: me, moving in with you." Kotetsu didn't need to _see_ it—he could _feel_ the damning realization and the shock that followed.

The only reason Barnaby Brooks Jr. would have for being in the Bronze Stage was if he chased a criminal there, and even that was rare. He pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stave off the building migraine that had nothing to do with their current predicament. "We're going to keep this between us and everyone else in that room."

Kotetsu nodded. He didn't need anyone else shouting at him for impeding the young Hero's rise to fame. Lloyds was more than enough; Agnes was an everyday part of his life now, so he was used to her barking orders.

Barnaby leaned against the wall, letting the solid structure support his weight, and cupped his chin as he let his mind wander. There were thoughts in his head that weren't his own; emotions _about_ him that weren't his own. He'd felt Kotetsu's fear minutes ago—it still hummed softly at the back of his mind—and unconsciously shared a touch of sympathy with the older Hero.

Barnaby exhaled softly, pushing his glasses to his hairline as he covered his eyes with his hand. "First things first. We need to find out what happened that night."

**x**

"You were both drunk."

Fire Emblem nodded in agreement to Rock Bison's statement. "Tiger can handle himself well enough, but I was a little surprised that Handsome got swept along for the ride."

"You two left together," Dragon Kid piped up from Kotetsu's bed; a spoonful of applesauce filled her mouth shortly after. The veteran Hero sat at the foot of the bed, his back to her.

"There were no reports of any misdoings that night, either," Origami Cyclone added softly from a chair tucked against the wall.

"Which means whatever caused this mess is your own fault," Blue Rose scoffed, already annoyed that she was dragged into a problem that was no concern of hers. If anything, it was a benefit to have Barnaby out of the way; Wild Tiger was no competition.

Sky High perked up, lifting a finger as his idea unfolded. "What if we request the city's assistance to track your movements via the security cameras?"

Kotetsu wrinkled his nose. He was certain the clear denial he felt was a mutually shared feeling.

Barnaby spoke before he could, his voice sharp enough to have Sky High recoil. "No. I'd rather not have the entire city aware of my personal life." He recalled Agnes's proposition to run a small documentary on him and amended his choice of words, "At least, not _that_ intimate."

Fire Emblem curled his fingers against his cheek. "How intimate is _intimate_?" he purred.

Kotetsu interjected, sitting up straight on his hospital bed. "Bunny was obviously kind enough to let me pass out on the floor of his place." He met everyone's gaze except Rock Bison's—and Dragon Kid's, since the young girl shared his bed and sat behind him. His childhood friend would know he was keeping something from them; he probably already did.

Barnaby dropped his crossed arms, putting on a more businesslike expression. "Thank you all for coming—"

"Sky High dragged us here," Blue Rose scoffed.

"We appreciate any helpful efforts, and will continue trying to figure this out on our own," the new Hero finished, completely ignoring the teen.

Blue Rose took her leave first, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she disappeared through the open door. Dragon Kid bounced her way off the bed, shouting out a quick 'see you later' before following after the other female Hero. Sky High left next, with a wave and a 'good luck'. Origami Cyclone trailed behind him after executing a quick bow at the waist to his senior Heroes. Rock Bison made no motion to leave, even with Fire Emblem curled against his side.

Kotetsu sighed, carding his fingers through his hair. "I really can't remember, Antonio, I don't think I've ever gotten that drunk before…" He shot a quick glance at Barnaby, wondering if the young man could _feel_ his lie, let alone hear it. There had been plenty of times Kotetsu woke up, hung over, unable to remember most of the previous day's events. He exhaled deeply, tamping down on the emotions that threatened to spill through whatever link they had unfortunately managed to create.

Barnaby flinched, his brow furrowing.

Fire Emblem sighed. "It's like you're having unspoken conversations," he said, looking between the duo. "Tiger, you're good at hiding your expressions, but your eyes—"

Rock Bison cleared his throat, shaking his arm free of Fire Emblem's long fingers. "Let's go."

To have been included in the "let's" meant Kotetsu and Barnaby were no longer Nathan's concern. Kotetsu caught his friend's eye, smiling gratefully for the diversion. Antonio nodded before rolling his eyes, his attention now drawn to the man pressed against his back.

"You're too big to get a piggyback ride," he muttered, moving awkwardly out the door.

Nathan's excited reply of "_you would let me if I was smaller_" was the last thing Sternbild's first Hero Pair heard before the hospital room was filled with an almost deafening silence.

"We need to… get my stuff, I think," Kotetsu muttered after a few more minutes of silence dragged on.

"Yeah," Barnaby sighed. This was really happening. His life was going to be thrown into even more turmoil than he had already suffered.

**X**

It took an hour to get back on the street, but only because half of that time, after checking out of the hospital, was spent arguing over who would drive. Antonio's return reminded them that neither one of them had driven to the hospital. Kotetsu sulked in the backseat, pressed flush against the door behind Antonio. Barnaby had taken it upon himself to borrow Kotetsu's hat to hide beneath during the drive into the Bronze Stage. He sat ramrod straight, eyes glued straight ahead.

Antonio pulled up to Kotetsu's house and its owner hurriedly scrambled out, rushing around the car to dart up the front steps. Barnaby flinched, his fingers reaching for the door handle when Kotetsu disappeared from sight. "We should help him," he forced through gritted teeth.

"Yeah," Antonio agreed. He pushed open his door and got out; Barnaby was already inside once he circled the vehicle.

Kotetsu had two suitcase stuffed with random belongings he felt he would need: clothes; a few extra hats, in case one or two happen to disappear. He lugged them downstairs and handed the fuller one to Antonio, who took it outside. The other was left at the entrance. He then proceeded to load a smaller, more personal bag. Barnaby was being an unnecessary shadow and hadn't even offered a hand in assisting him.

Kotetsu stopped at the entranceway, gently removing the framed photographs displayed there. He held them against his chest before taking a knee and carefully laying them into the small bag he carried. "Let's go," he murmured after rising to his feet. Barnaby moved ahead of him and Kotetsu switched off the lights and locked up.

Antonio was the voice that told Kotetsu it would be best to take his own car back to Barnaby's place. "I'll follow," he added after skeptical and questioning looks were thrown his way.

**X**

At Barnaby's suite building, the new Hero went in first, leaving Antonio and Kotetsu to build a guise that they had nothing to do with him when they entered minutes after. Barnaby gave his guests—unwanted, if the expression on his face was anything to go by—a onceover. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he turned away. "There's an extra bedroom. Follow me."

Kotetsu mimicked the young man's 'follow me' to Antonio—the Bull Tank grinned—before they both stepped away from the entrance to do as they were told.

The suitcases were placed onto the floor and Kotetsu openly gaped at the room. The only thing it contained was a bed, and even that was naked. He shook himself from his stupor and asked, "Where is your room?" Barnaby's eyes narrowed and Kotetsu raised his hand defensively. "I just wanted to know so I could push the bed closer in that direction, so… we can try to have a good night's sleep?"

Without warning or response, Barnaby took it upon himself to readjust the bed into a position that would bring them closer together. He took a step back, surveying the room. "We can bring one of your dressers if you'd like," he mumbled after a few silent moments of thoughts.

Kotetsu perked up, taking a few steps closer but still keeping his distance. "I can… live out of my suitcase—wow, that sounded better in my head. It's just... I don't want to be any more of a burden!" he added quickly.

"I'll take half of the blame, since we were both obviously involved and neither of us can remember what happened that day." Barnaby crossed his arms, staring resolutely at the naked bed. He glanced over his shoulder, gaze focused on the silent Antonio. "Thank you, Rock Bison, for your assistance."

Antonio knew a dismissal when he saw one. "No problem." He turned to Kotetsu, tapping his friend in the forehead.

Barnaby clenched his right hand at his side to keep himself from rubbing his forehead to ward off the phantom touch.

"Don't forget about us little people now that you're living in this penthouse."

Kotetsu swatted Antonio's hand away, frowning up at the brunet. "As if," he scoffed. He tugged Antonio's arm, pulling him to the front of the suite to continue talking.

Barnaby kept his ground, testing the limit for his threshold of pain. None came, and Kotetsu was back just as quickly as he'd left, a grin splitting his face. '_You're terrified, aren't you_?' Barnaby adjusted his gaze to the wall behind Kotetsu.

Kotetsu chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I'll try to stay out of your way, after… Once we get back to my place, I can grab some sheets along with the dresser."

"Or we can buy some," Barnaby countered, uncrossing and lowering his arms.

Kotetsu's grin dimmed, but he continued to smile. "That's not necessary," he protested meekly. "I've got spare ones back at my place. We can stuff it all in the back of my car. Thank you, though!" Kotetsu laughed sheepishly.

_…charity case_.

Barnaby's eyes widened, but he shifted his gaze to the floor. "Let's go," he murmured.

Kotetsu removed the hat that had been returned to him, moving forward until he was close enough to plop it onto the other's blond crown.

Barnaby scowled, readjusting the headgear so it was seated comfortably atop his head. "Let's go," he repeated with a sigh, pushing past Kotetsu and out of the guest room.

Kotetsu followed, but kept his distance as they crossed the lobby. Barnaby stopped before leaving the building, doubling back to the counter. Kotetsu watched them from beneath his bangs, his hat sitting comfortably atop the new Hero's head, and saw the receptionist's eyes flick his way. He hoped his movements were discreet as he took his time looking away. He felt Barnaby draw nearer and took a few steps forward, moving closer to the door. He stepped through with Barnaby beside him.

"I told him you're an old family friend that's visiting," the young man explained. "Not that we'll be too far apart when we come and go," he muttered, his brow knitting together. Kotetsu kept his mouth shut and what he hoped was a lid on his emotions.

Another quiet drive was taken to the Bronze Stage. Barnaby assisted in loading the lightest piece of furniture Kotetsu had chosen to store his clothes. Kotetsu grinned triumphantly after closing the back of his SUV. "Ya hungry?"

"I can have something delivered," Barnaby informed him, unconsciously tugging down the brim of his borrowed hat. His lips pressed into a thin line and Kotetsu could tell he was thinking. "Right now, we need to eat and sleep. Everything else needs to put on a temporary hold."

Barnaby glared at him from beneath the hat, but there was truth to his words. They hadn't eaten a proper meal during their two-day visit to the hospital, and dusk was slowly settling. He closed his eyes, taking a breath, and then opened them as he released his, his expression more civil. "What would you like to eat?"

Kotetsu pursed his lips, not used to anything other than his fried rice and whatever quick bite he got at the bar. He grinned. "Surprise me."

**X X X**

Dinner _had_ been a surprise. Barnaby had obviously considered his background and ordered a variety of sushi and rolls. The fact that he'd _thought_ about him was good enough. Cleaning up was easy, since he was familiar with the bathroom already. He missed being able to soak and relax, but he was a guest. He peeked around the corner, bidding goodnight to the young man seated in the main room. Barnaby nodded in return.

Kotetsu ducked back out of sight, heading to the guest room. He chanted for the headache to keep away; Barnaby obviously wanted to be alone with his thoughts. Kotetsu managed to climb into the bed without any problems, and sighed in relief, letting the tension ease from his body. Kotetsu buried his face into one of the pillows Barnaby had lent him. Sleep came easily and quickly.

* * *

**A/N:** _Slow_ build… I'm basically trying to find my footing right now. I'm gonna have to go back and pick out certain episodes of the anime and re-work them to fit my fic, yay~ Of course, I won't follow them word for word… If you guys have any favorite episodes, I'll be glad to try to turn them into my own x3

And if you know any good "bond" fics that I can use for a bit of reference, I'll be glad to hear them, yes (I've read several Teen Wolf ones).


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